Marian Wright Edelman

Marian Wright Edelman
CDC (PHIL #8416) · Public domain · source
Name	Marian Wright Edelman
Caption	Edelman in 2014
Birth date	6 June 1939
Birth place	Bennettsville, South Carolina
Alma mater	Spelman College (BA), Yale Law School (JD)
Occupation	Lawyer, activist, founder of the Children's Defense Fund
Known for	Advocacy for children's rights and welfare
Spouse	Peter Edelman (m. 1968)

Marian Wright Edelman is an American lawyer, civil rights activist, and the founder and president emerita of the Children's Defense Fund (CDF). A prominent figure in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, she has dedicated her career to advocating for the rights and welfare of children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Her work represents a significant extension of the movement's principles toward ensuring equal opportunity and justice for future generations.

Early Life and Education

Marian Wright was born on June 6, 1939, in Bennettsville, South Carolina, the youngest of five children. Her father, Arthur Jerome Wright, was a Baptist minister, and her mother, Maggie Leola Bowen, was active in the community. The family instilled in her a strong sense of service and faith, values that would guide her life's work. She attended Spelman College in Atlanta, where she became involved in the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement, participating in sit-ins and other protests. After graduating as valedictorian in 1960, she studied abroad on a Merrill Scholarship before enrolling at Yale Law School. In 1963, she became the first African American woman admitted to the Mississippi Bar.

Civil Rights Movement Involvement

During the 1960s, Edelman moved to Mississippi to work for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF) under Thurgood Marshall. As a young lawyer, she represented activists involved in Freedom Summer and worked on desegregation cases. She was deeply involved with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who encouraged her to focus on issues of poverty. She was in the room during the planning of the Poor People's Campaign in 1968. Her legal work in the Deep South, defending those fighting for voting rights and against Jim Crow laws, cemented her commitment to systemic change through law and policy.

Founding of the Children's Defense Fund

In 1973, building on her civil rights and legal experience, Edelman founded the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) in Washington, D.C.. The organization was established as a non-profit advocacy group focused on lobbying for policies to improve the lives of American children, especially the poor, children of color, and those with disabilities. The CDF's mission was to ensure every child had a "Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start, and a Moral Start" in life. Under her leadership, the CDF became a powerful voice in the nation's capital, conducting meticulous research on issues like child poverty, infant mortality, child care, and education to inform its advocacy.

Advocacy and Policy Work

Edelman's advocacy has centered on using data and moral persuasion to influence federal and state legislation. A key early victory was her work on the 1975 Education for All Handicapped Children Act (now the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). The CDF was instrumental in the passage of the 1990 Child Care and Development Block Grant and the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act. She has been a persistent advocate for expanding Head Start programs, strengthening the foster care system, and reforming juvenile justice. Her policy work often emphasizes personal responsibility and stable family structures as foundations for child well-being. She has been a frequent witness before Congressional committees and has advised multiple presidential administrations.

Awards and Recognition

Marian Wright Edelman has received numerous honors for her lifelong service. She was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship (the "Genius Grant") in 1985. In 2000, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award, from President Bill Clinton. Other notable awards include the Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism, the Robert F. Kennedy Lifetime Achievement Award, and over one hundred honorary degrees from institutions including Harvard University and Yale University. In 2015, she was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.

Personal Life and Legacy

In 1968, she married Peter Edelman, a lawyer and former aide to Senator Robert F. Kennedy. They have three sons: Joshua, Jonah, and Ezra. Her son Johan is a rabbi. Edelman is the author of several books, including the bestseller The Measure of Our Success: A Letter to My Children and Yours (1992). Her legacy is defined by shifting the national conversation on children's rights from charity to a matter of justice and policy imperative. While some of her approaches have been debated, her unwavering focus on the nation's most vulnerable children has inspired generations of activists. Through the CDF's Freedom Schools program and other initiatives, she continues to influence advocacy for child welfare and educational equity.